Federal Judge Orders Trump Administration to Reopen Gateway Funding
A Manhattan federal judge has issued an order requiring the Trump administration to unfreeze funding for the massive Gateway project, clearing the way for construction work to resume on new Hudson River tunnels. The decision comes after a lawsuit filed by New York and New Jersey's attorneys general against the federal government claimed that the White House's move to withhold funds was unlawful and caused significant economic harm.
Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled in favor of the states, stating that there would be "irreparable harm" if the project were to remain suspended. The judge found that pausing the project could have devastating consequences for the region, including "torpedoing" the entire endeavor. New Jersey lawyer Shankar Duraiswamy had argued during oral arguments that delaying the project would result in irreparable damage, highlighting the urgent need for swift resolution.
The Gateway project, worth $16 billion and one of the largest public works projects in the country, was put on hold after Trump's funding freeze. The move was linked to a dispute between Democrats and the White House over immigration policies. Now, with the court's decision, workers who lost their jobs due to the freeze will soon be able to get back to work.
Gateway officials had filed a lawsuit arguing that winding down operations at five construction sites would be an enormous undertaking requiring nearly a year of effort and up to $15 million per month in expenses. The project aims to upgrade aging tunnels damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, with new tubes serving NJ Transit and Amtrak trains heading to and from Penn Station.
Leaders from both New York and New Jersey welcomed the decision, praising it as a "critical victory" for workers and commuters who rely on the Gateway project. They expressed gratitude for the court's swift action, which prevented what they described as a "senseless funding freeze" that would have jeopardized the entire endeavor.
A Manhattan federal judge has issued an order requiring the Trump administration to unfreeze funding for the massive Gateway project, clearing the way for construction work to resume on new Hudson River tunnels. The decision comes after a lawsuit filed by New York and New Jersey's attorneys general against the federal government claimed that the White House's move to withhold funds was unlawful and caused significant economic harm.
Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled in favor of the states, stating that there would be "irreparable harm" if the project were to remain suspended. The judge found that pausing the project could have devastating consequences for the region, including "torpedoing" the entire endeavor. New Jersey lawyer Shankar Duraiswamy had argued during oral arguments that delaying the project would result in irreparable damage, highlighting the urgent need for swift resolution.
The Gateway project, worth $16 billion and one of the largest public works projects in the country, was put on hold after Trump's funding freeze. The move was linked to a dispute between Democrats and the White House over immigration policies. Now, with the court's decision, workers who lost their jobs due to the freeze will soon be able to get back to work.
Gateway officials had filed a lawsuit arguing that winding down operations at five construction sites would be an enormous undertaking requiring nearly a year of effort and up to $15 million per month in expenses. The project aims to upgrade aging tunnels damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, with new tubes serving NJ Transit and Amtrak trains heading to and from Penn Station.
Leaders from both New York and New Jersey welcomed the decision, praising it as a "critical victory" for workers and commuters who rely on the Gateway project. They expressed gratitude for the court's swift action, which prevented what they described as a "senseless funding freeze" that would have jeopardized the entire endeavor.
! $16 billion is crazy but think of all the people who are gonna get back to work and the trains that'll be running smoothly 
The judges decision makes total sense, I mean who wants a year of effort just to shut down construction sites? 
It's amazing how some politicians can create drama over funding for infrastructure projects. Anyway, about time this gets sorted out 
so i agree with the judge's decision to reopen funding for the Gateway project but like how it was handled, idk... 
it's not right that the White House had to go through a lawsuit in the first place. and can we talk about the timeline here? almost 2 years of waiting and now we're just getting back on track... what if something else came up while they were re-funding the project? 
still glad it's happening tho, those workers need their jobs back! 
I'm so stoked to see this happen! It's like a weight has been lifted off New York and NJ commuters' shoulders. The Gateway project was always meant to be a game-changer for the region, but Trump's funding freeze just put everything on hold. Now that the court has stepped in, it's time to get back to work and make this thing happen! I mean, who doesn't want better train connections between NYC and Newark or Philadelphia? It's about time we saw some progress around here. The workers who lost their jobs due to the freeze are going to be so grateful to have their jobs back on track...literally 
I'm so relieved to hear that justice has been served for the people of NYC and NJ! It's amazing how one judge can make such a huge difference in people's lives 
. Those workers who lost their jobs need a big fat hug and a new job ASAP 
. It just goes to show that even when things seem bleak, there's always hope for a better tomorrow 
!
gotta be a huge relief for all the workers who lost their jobs because of trump's funding freeze 
I found this crazy vintage typewriter that looks like it was straight out of a movie 
I mean, who even uses those things anymore? But there's something about it that's so nostalgic... anyway, enough about that. Back to the Gateway project, cool that it's getting funded again 
. It's been a long time coming, but a federal judge finally ordered the Trump administration to release the frozen funds. The whole thing was a mess, and I'm not surprised that the states took the White House to court 
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... I mean, come on, $16 billion and still we're stuck in the dark about what's really going on behind the scenes. This whole thing with Trump's funding freeze was a total mess, but at least justice prevailed 
. Anyway, glad to see some sense being made of things... for now 
. I'm loving the fact that both states came together to fight for what's right – it's all about those people who rely on this project for their daily commute 
, but kudos to our fearless judge Jeannette Vargas for stepping in and making things right 
. My kid's been saying "can we please have a tunnel already?" 
for years now, but I guess that's not possible... yet! 
I'm so stoked to hear about the Gateway project getting back on track! 
. The fact that a lawsuit was filed by the attorneys general from NY and NJ is just a reminder that we need to hold our leaders accountable for their actions 
. And I'm sure it's a huge relief for all the workers who lost their jobs due to the freeze - getting back to work can be such a game-changer in terms of mental health and overall well-being 
! The Gateway project is going to make a real difference for commuters and travelers, especially those heading to Penn Station. Fingers crossed that this decision will set a positive precedent for other large-scale infrastructure projects 
I'm so glad the court stepped in to help bring this massive project back online. 
but now it looks like justice has been served 
. 16 billion dollars is a lot of money, can't imagine how much damage would've happened if the project was just gonna sit there 
. it's been ages since the gateway project got put on hold and now its like a weight has been lifted off everyone's shoulders 
! That's what I call a win-win situation. And let's be real, this whole thing has been super messy with all the politics involved 
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It's always hard when big projects like this one get put on hold, but I'm glad the judge stepped in and gave everyone a break